Game Design: Spatial Distortion

It occurred to me after rereading Stalker0’s Guide to Anti-Grind last night, that I’d made a critical error in the design of my Spatial Distortion creature/skill challenge. I’d give in an aura effect that slowed all creatures within an enormous area of 10 squares — it didn’t effect creatures with the aberrant, elemental, or immortal origins, as a sort of “professional courtesy,” but all that means is that the bad guys would mostly be unaffected.

The bit about “too much control” in his guide being a bad thing is what brought this up. I’d be slowing down not just the characters … but the fight as well. I quickly decided to change the aura to give the distortion a chance to inflict the slowed condition (via attack roll), rather than making it an automatic thing. It gives the players a chance to be lucky, which I think is important. I also tweaked some other effects to make them less cheesy.

All in all, I’m pleased with how the effect has turned out. I toned down the damage here and there — I can always have the thing do more damage, if need be, after all — the thing acts as a creature on the battlefield in terms of initiative, but must be defeated with a simple Skill Challenge. I’m a bit nervous about its implementation, I guess I’ll have to wait and see how it plays out next week. Or the week after. Ish. :/